Mewtwo's Lair

[Ambyssin]

Nova had considered the possibility. Multiple times, actually. But he didn’t make much of it since Forlas was still so new to him. But, no, here he was. Staring at a mewtwo. And a silhouette of one with far darker skin traced itself around Mewtwo as he sized Mhynt up. Mimicking the shrug.

He eyed a crystal stabbed through the silhouette’s right arm before it faded away. Nova stayed neutral. Mainly because of Mewtwo’s attire. A strange choice. One that didn’t sit right with him.

“What a cosmic coincidence,” Nova said. “Or, perhaps, fate playing a curious game.” He could hear the Affirmer’s gentle laughter in his head. “Nice jacket. You make it yourself? I imagine going to a tailor wouldn’t suit your situation here.”

A beat. “Pardon the pun.”

 

[Tetra]

Between the bulletin board, the overwhelming pressure that had suddenly started, and everything else, there was only one place his mind had gone.

Legendary. Well, saint, he supposed. That presence was unmistakable. Different than back home, but similar. Mew had to be working with a saint.

At least it sounded like that comment about secrets was more of a test. So perhaps it wouldn't harm them... Unless Mhnyt had been wrong about Mew.

Then the source of the overpowering aura appeared, right there.

"Mewtwo?" the shocked words slipped out before he could stop himself. He stared in shock as Mewtwo spoke, evaluating Nova and introducing himself.

Meanwhile his mind raced, wondering what this meant. Perhaps Mewtwo had been summoned? It was hard to imagine the alternative... Or had it come here from somewhere else? Maybe it had transformed into a Mewtwo?

His mind was still racing as he realized Mewtwo had introduced himself. What was the right way to introduce yourself to one of the most powerful psychics ever and one who'd become like a legendary (among some circles at least)? Could Mewtwo read his mind right now?

"Nice to meet you," the words came out stiff, and he suddenly felt ridiculous. Maybe Mewtwo wasn't a saint at all here. Get a grip.
What did he say now? There probably wasn't much point hiding too much. "Electrike Koamaru," he said after a moment.

 

[Namohysip]

Mewtwo smirked. "I did make it myself," he replied, and then faced Koa. "Formal. Respectful. I like that."

Mewtwo was floating only a few inches off the ground. He crossed his arms, studied them, and then nodded.

"You. Nova, I believe." Mewtwo pointed at him. "I know how to rid you of that mask. It will not be instantaneous. But it will cure you of it, and free you from its bindings. And I, as well as Mew, are well-versed in helping with this specific issue."

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova tilted his head. “Is that so? What would I have to do?”

 

[Namohysip]

"What you are dealing with is a mask that suppresses your power and mood. In order to break it, you must achieve control over your powers so they may be unleashed... And there are many, many ways to do this. But being in tune with the power of another... a partnership that can link energies and make them greater than the sum of their parts..." Mewtwo clenched his fist as if to grasp something in front of him. His eyes were wide with frenzy and his smile was intimidating yet controlled.

"Yes," he said. "Power. Ultimate power is what you need. It has been proven, studied, and harnessed. To break your mask and unleash your true potential, you are a special Pokemon that requires the strongest power known to the universe."

Mewtwo's smile narrowed into a malevolent smirk. Confidence, and that suffocating energy, continued to radiate from him as he finally gave his answer: "Friendship."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion was having a hard time getting a read on Mewtwo. It checked out they'd have some access and want for human-like things without Coven ties, but they were still intimidating, and the idea of saying they needed ultimate power was...

"Friendship."

Oh, nevermind. Of course. He definitely wasn't any version of a Null that would follow his world's rules, then... And it also meant it wouldn't work for Hazel back home, or it would have happened already. (And it was going to be a while before Gladion would have any chance at it either. Whatever. Hazel had lived with it for far longer than he even planned to remain here.)

Still, the situation begged another question. How did Mewtwo know that, how were they familiar with this kind of Null?

"Hold on, are you implying you're familiar with our species? Do you know its history of being here, or are you also an offworlder of some sort?"

 

[Ambyssin]

The way this mewtwo talked was at odds with the last thing he said. And it was concerningly familiar. For second-hand memories Nova had poured over a while back.

"Friendship," Nova repeated. "It's a bond, then. Like a riolu or buneary or golbat with the right trainer." Somehow that was going to break this thing?

... Well, if these shadows really were awful vicious emotion stuff, maybe it made all the sense in the world. The kind of dumb idea that looped around to being genius.

Except Nova didn't have friends. He'd been alone for... some long period of time that he stopped paying attention to ages ago.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Wait, what did where she was from have to do with anything? "Huh? I'm from—"

The sudden absence of the psychic pressure stopped her, and then its just-as-sudden reappearance in the room staggered her. In about ninety-six different ways. Number one was she'd just figured out what specifically had felt so familiar.

You remind me of someone I know.

"What— what are you doing here— how—"

Was this like what happened with Mhynt's friend? Did Beetle—or the one before Beetle, more likely—actually call someone else she knew? Why would they even volunteer in the first place, like sure all that power would be pretty helpful to have right about now but they really didn't seem the type to be interested in chasing off to a whole other world to help people they didn't know? They also didn't seem like the type to care whether other people thought they were weird for being naked or whatever, so where the hell did the interest in a custom-tailored suit come from? Or was this another "similar but different worlds" thing, and there were other mewtwo out there? But then why had they said—

"Yes," he said. "Power. Ultimate power is what you need. It has been proven, studied, and harnessed. To break your mask and unleash your true potential, you are a special Pokemon that requires the strongest power known to the universe."

Mewtwo's smile narrowed into a malevolent smirk. Confidence, and that suffocating energy, continued to radiate from him as he finally gave his answer: "Friendship."

Leaf's head was still spinning, running laps more like, but she couldn't help but snort with amusement at that. ...Yeah, okay, never mind. You're definitely not the Mewtwo I know. (Maybe someday, though...)

One question at a time. Get rid of the helmets first. That was why they were here. "That sounds nice and all—" god knew the poor guy seemed like he could use some friends, if only he felt well enough to open up to it "—but how would friendship... work? Like help to override the mind control things that are in there?"

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"...mind control things?!"

 

[Namohysip]

"I am familiar," said Mewtwo. "And I know the typical ways to unlock those masks. They always respond to internal energy responding to external energy, and in great force. The power of bonds... friendship... It transcends those bindings and disrupts any mental control it has. Yes. And between my partner and I... we will be able to form those bonds.

"Tell me, Nova... Gladion, was it?" Mewtwo nodded like he'd reviewed some notes. "What do you think it means to have power? What is important about power?"

 

[Tetra]

"Friendship."

Koa blinked. That made sense, in a very bizarre kind of way. According to scattered tales on his world, Mewtwo had vanished somewhere but was still revered by pokemon as their protector so... that was friendship, in a way. And he'd seen himself first hand the way his relationship with Echo deepening had catalyzed his evolution (he was sure if he asked Rowan, he could get a great scientific breakdown about the different energies and synchronization). Although this Mewtwo seemed to speak about it from a different angle.

He listened as Mewtwo continued. It seemed straightforward enough. Nova simply needed to make a friend... A million more questions came to mind. Why did Nova seem to struggle with his mask more than Gladion? How did he know so much about the masks anyway? And he hadn't exactly answered Gladion's question. He guessed Mewtwo had more important questions for Nova and Gladion.

Power means protecting whats important. Being able to stand up against evil. Making a difference. He held his tongue instead, suddenly uncertain if Mewtwo was interested in his opinion on the question. Maybe he was more interested in whatever species Nova and Gladion were (and he somehow doubted the answer was 'graydian')... A nagging thought ate at him, suddenly wondering again why. He opted to hold his questions for a moment to see how the two would answer

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Hold on! Are we all going to brush over it having mental control? I feel like I should know about that if it's true! And what our species' ties are to this place feels significant to me too, I'd appreciate knowing some more about that if you're familiar with it?"

That being said, he'd probably still have to answer Mewtwo's questions if he wanted help with his own.

He grumbled. "Back where I come from, I'd say the main thing lots of power seems to do is make everyone in range perpetually fucking miserable, but I guess here in the universe of the strongest power known is Friendship, that answer's probably not going to fly. The only thing I could call it 'good' for is that you need some small amount of it to carve out some protection for what's important to you, y'know, keep out of the misery range of people with lots of it and all."

 

[Phoenixsong]

"...does yours have that?" Leaf tilted her head, confused. "I mean, if it doesn't or it's not affecting you that's good, but Nova said his helmet does that. Or someone made it do something like that. Why would the helmets be different?"

Was this also a different worlds thing? Did that even make sense, though, if Beetle had made both of these bodies just for Forlas—wouldn't they have made them the same way? Either Gladion also had mind control things, or... or Nova didn't, maybe?

 

[Tetra]

"So your helmets are different?" Koa asked, his curiosity superceding his caution as he echoed Leaf's sentiment. He glanced between Gladion and Nova. "I don't understand how..." he let the question drift away, reluctant to start getting into all the details of why that didn't make sense. If Beetle had constructed bodies for them why didn't Gladion seem to have the same issue? And far more concerningly... did it really have mind control?

"Have you been... dealing with your body okay?" he asked Gladion, suddenly concerned.

 

[Ambyssin]

Why would the helmets be different?"

"How should I know?" Nova growled. "None of the other units needed one. They all deactivated when I took out my creator. The thing was forced on me... by the human who wielded the Red Chain. To show his power over fate itself." His gaze fell to the ground. "Because... I don't get to make choices for myself anymore. Everything's dictated by Him."

He slowly shook his head. "There's no single answer to your question, Mewtwo." That, at least, Nova was confident in. "Because power means different things to different people." Nova's tail drooped slightly. "I used to believe it's the raw strength needed to fight for a worthy cause. To overcome obstacles that seem almost insurmountable.

"Now? I don't know. It might just be more about the potential to gain strength and resolve."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Have you been... dealing with your body okay?"

Gladion shifted nervously as the tone shifted towards earnestness. "I mean... I haven't noticed any mind control which is certainly better than the alternative." It would be so easy just to say 'yes' and be done with this... "But, I mean... At the same time... not exactly? I don't think that should be too surprising."

He felt acutely aware of the weight of the helmet, of the feeling of people looking at him even if he couldn't see everyone in his field of view, of his own skin. Only social expectation kept him for reaching for that ball again.

"I mean, clearly the helmets work differently in the two places we're from— Really differently, I'm realizing now. But... I don't know how they work here, except it should probably be the same way for both of us. Unless we're having psychosomatic symptoms?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Mewtwo.

Jade had stayed frozen, staring at Mewtwo warily. He wasn't the same Mewtwo, of course he wasn't. This was a different world, and he acted totally different than the Mewtwo she knew (and yet, still that nagging familiarity...). But there was still no way to tamp down that part of her brain that tensed up around him, and the psychic pressure really wasn't helping.

"Maybe... maybe the helmets are based on whatever is 'compatible with Forlas' for Graydian," Jade hesitantly began, "but they're both reacting to it differently because of where their souls came from? I mean... Nova's old body was mechanical, but Graydian here just seem like some kinda hybrid genetic experiment, so it's gotta be way different having this new body." And it seemed like Gladion had been expecting the 'genetic experiment' situation, so that was proooobably the case where he was from?

"What do you think it means to have power? What is important about power?"

Power? Power was... about being strong enough to help. To make a difference. To... matter.

"Power is important... because being too weak means watching bad things happen and not being able to stop them?" Jade ventured.

 

[Namohysip]

Mewtwo watched Koa and Mhynt, perhaps sensing that they had an answer, and yet didn't give one. As the other answers shuffled in, Mewtwo hummed and said, "I see. Your idea of power, then... is the ability to bring about, or inhibit, change. To protect what you want, to change what you want. Influence."

Mew tilted his head left and right, watching an invisible spot on the ceiling before lifting off and grasping at one of the Luminous Orbs.

Mewtwo held a hand forward again. "I, too, believe in the power of influence. The ability to control, manipulate, and command."

Mew dropped the Luminous Orb, now dim, in Mewtwo's hands, and then flew into another one of the halls.

"Others. Oneself. One's world. Influencing these things are all forms of power. And I believe for all of you... you require a lot of world-pushing power."

Mew returned with another Luminous Orb, sticking it into the ceiling again. It glowed brighter than before, and with a more stable light. Mew then grabbed the broken orb from Mewtwo's hand and flew into yet another room.

"I will teach you how to harness your power. And as our bond grows, so, too, will your ability to overthrow the power of your binds." He gestured at their stone helmets.

"Of course, if you are interested in a more delicate touch... You have my partner. But be warned: Despite his looks, sometimes he can be even more intense than I. His form of training has honed countless Pokemon that can rival the Legends themselves... all without a single word."

Mew returned, curling up on Mewtwo's head again.

 

[Ambyssin]

Again, the back of Nova's head pounded. His vision blurred for a moment. Hazy images of computer screens. Muffled words of if this was really a good idea. Blurry movement on the screens, almost like shaky camera footage. A hazy figure falling toward the mouth of a volcano. A giant dragon of light bathing the sky in gold.

Nova squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the mask hid them well enough.

except it should probably be the same way for both of us. Unless we're having psychosomatic symptoms?

"I've said it enough," Nova mumbled. "It's suffocating me. It's a tight, constant pressure." His gaze fell to the floor. "How would you feel waking up every day here with a reminder of the thing that makes you a prisoner in your own body back home?" He resisted the urge to shake his head and jostle the mask. "And I can't fight like this." He paused. "I'm supposed to excel at offense and speed. The pokémon wielder who forced this on me... took that all away. I can't attack. All I do now back home... is stand there. Until an opponent loses their will to fight.

"And now that's... being replicated here. That can't happen." Nova's claws curled up. He glanced at Mew and Mewtwo. "Why does it have to work in absolutes? Why not a combination of both of you?" he wondered. "I know... enough about training... to believe you need variety."

 

[Namohysip]

There was a hint of defiance in Mewtwo's eyes just then. Mew, instead, looked entertained by the proposal -- but not at Nova. But perhaps, Mewtwo's reaction...

"Collaborating again, are we?" Mewtwo said. "Fine. Perhaps variety is the spice of life after all. You can work with me or my partner."

Mew nodded and seemed to put on a more serious face. Like magic, he pulled from thin air what seemed to be a red hat-- far too large for him -- and placed it on his head.

"...Tomorrow," Mewtwo added, relaxing his stance. "It's very late, you know."